Mercy Not Sacrifice - Audiobook

The Carman family has Thanksgiving Day dinner at Ian’s house, but the Patriarch of the family is missing.

Archie brings up the future of the trucking company and suggests that Grandpa John should be removed from the business and Johnnie stands up for Grandpa John storming out of the house.

Grandpa John goes to the church rectory to ask Simon the Priest life’s greatest question. How does one live a good life?

In response, Simon the Priest leads him around Gardenstown and together they give themselves in service to the community.

Johnnie takes Jeffery to the park to shoot hoops and talk about life, but it so happens Johnnie isn’t cured from his own issues.

At O’Malley’s Drive-In Johnnie and Jeffrey eat some of Gardenstown’s finest fried food, but Johnnie’s enjoyment is cut short when Simon the Priest walks through the door.

Gardenstown’s best day of the week is Saturday and breakfast is it’s finest hour. Johnnie waits for his brother Ian as he takes in the morning. At the diner known as The Griddle he eats with his brother and has his eyes on a waitress named Jenny. Ian asks for Johnnie’s help with Jeffrey and Lore shows up unannounced and does not appreciate Johnnie’s interest in more than the diner’s food.

Johnnie returns to therapy with Dr. Heiler after many years away. Together they unravel what and who has been causing his pain as he learns that the true path to finding a way out is through being honest with himself. 

Johnnie’s nephew Jeffrey experiences a traumatic episode at school and comes home to more of the same. At dinner his Dad and Mom fight and leave him to clean up the dishes and put his siblings to bed. Overwhelmed with responsibility he takes to drastic measures to relieve his pain.

Johnnie on summer break from high school works a day in the Carman Carrier shop with Grandpa John and Mike. He learns how to put together a driveshaft on a truck which leads him to understanding how a life should be put together. Grandpa John finds Johnnie smoking and tells him that he shouldn’t hide who he is or eventually he will hide from himself—as running from yourself tires even the best men.

Grandma Marta is admitted the hospital and all the Carman family shows up except Grandpa John. In her last few moments, Uncle Sam places Grandpa John’s farewell note in her hand, and Lore reveals herself to Johnnie during the vulnerable time of his Grandmother’s death.

A moment in time is remembered about an upcoming Thanksgiving from the Carman family past. Grandpa John’s young trucking business had suffered in the year of 1965 and he took it out on the easiest target available—Grandma Marta. After a push that went to far knocks her unconscious Grandpa John leaves to go out on the road and the three sons deal with the aftermath.